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Public Entertainments and Meetings (Speakers’ Corner) (Exemption) Order 2016

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 16A of the Public Entertainments and Meetings Act, the Minister for Home Affairs makes the following Order:

Citation and commencement

1. This Order is the Public Entertainments and Meetings (Speakers’ Corner) (Exemption) Order 2016 and comes into operation on 8 May 2016.

Definitions

2. In this Order, unless the context otherwise requires —

“public speaking” means public entertainment that is play‑reading or a recital, neither of which is combined with a lecture, talk, address, debate, discussion or demonstration;

“Speakers’ Corner area” means the area known as Speakers’ Corner in Hong Lim Park and described in the Schedule.

Exemption for public speaking

3.—(1) Public speaking in the Speakers’ Corner area is exempt from the Act if the individual who engages in the public speaking —

(a)

is a citizen of Singapore; and

(b)

complies with the conditions stated in sub‑paragraph (2).

(2) For sub‑paragraph (1)(b), the conditions are —

(a)

the individual must not, while engaging in public speaking —

(i)

speak about a matter that relates, directly or indirectly, to any religious belief or to religion generally; or

(ii)

speak about a matter or in a way that may cause feelings of enmity, hatred, ill‑will or hostility between different racial or religious groups in Singapore;

(b)

the individual must, while engaging in public speaking, use an official language of Singapore, or a related dialect; and

(c)

the individual must not display or exhibit, or cause to be displayed or exhibited, any banner, flag, poster, placard, photograph, film, sign, writing or other visual representation or paraphernalia, containing violent, lewd or obscene material at any time before, during or after the public speaking.

Exemption for performances or exhibitions

4.—(1) Public entertainment that is a performance or an exhibition, without any lecture, talk, address, debate, discussion or demonstration, in the Speakers’ Corner area is exempt from the Act if —

(a)

the individual who organises the performance or exhibition is a citizen of Singapore;

(b)

only citizens of Singapore or permanent residents of Singapore participate in the delivery of the performance or exhibition; and

(c)

the conditions stated in sub‑paragraph (2) are complied with.

(2) For sub‑paragraph (1)(b), the conditions are —

(a)

the individual who organises the performance or exhibition, or an authorised agent of the individual, must be present at all times during the performance or exhibition;

(b)

the performance or exhibition must not —

(i)

deal with a matter that relates, directly or indirectly, to any religious belief or to religion generally; or

(ii)

deal with a matter, or treat a matter in a way, that may cause feelings of enmity, hatred, ill‑will or hostility between different racial or religious groups in Singapore; and

(c)

the individual who organises the performance or exhibition, or an authorised agent of the individual, and each individual participating in the delivery of the performance or exhibition, must not display or exhibit, or cause to be displayed or exhibited, any banner, flag, poster, placard, photograph, film, sign, writing or other visual representation or paraphernalia, containing violent, lewd or obscene material at any time before, during or after the performance or exhibition.

Saving

5. Nothing in this Order limits or affects the operation of any other written law.